Mount Popa + 3

Make a day trip to the mountain and say hello to the Nats.

The destination is Mount Popa in Bagan, a 1518 meters high volcano located in Kyaukpadaung Township, about 50 km east of Bagan and the Irrawaddy River.In the central plains of the country a extinct volcano pops out from the flat area and has virtually been transferred into the abode of the Nats. 

The stairs up are 777 mostly steep steps so if you are not in a good physical condition don't climb since you will be exhausted very quick.

• Popa Day Trip always start in Bagan.
• Photos here are a few quality images to give you a better idea.
• The View from Popa top is breathtaking

The nats are 37 strange guys at Mt Popa, kind of ghosts never seen anywhere but strongly believed that they are around. Belief in this ghosts is still very alive. During the festival seasons in June (Nayon) and December (Nadaw) the place is scrammed packed with pilgrims.

In every house they dwell, in trees etc. they are the souls of warriors and other killed in battle and now protecting people and objects (but only by imagination). Their statues are exhibited in a small temple right in front of Popa Mountain and at almost every house in the country.

At the base of Mt Popa.

There is the hall with the 37 Nats sculptures and countless monkeys, they are quite dangerous because they are after the goggles of the tourist and once they got them they are gone, they just disappear with them. So if you ever visit this place take them off and leave any other thing which could be snatched in the car.

Although Buddhism is the primary religion Nats are similar popular. 

It's just the same as in Thailand where a spirit house close to every normal one can be seen. Only the idea is a bit different, they are placed on the roadside where a fatal accident happen to give a place to stay for the soul of the victim, actually there are to many.

The day tour to Mount Popa in Bagan.

The English destroyed the country over more than two centuries and even just a few decades ago they and their US friends tried to give it the rest. They maneuvered the Myanmar's into the hand of mad Russian Communists and Militarist by embargo and blockade. The source of the mess what is visible today have been the British colonialists.

Collecting the juice of toddy palms and make a high percentage liquor from.

Road travel to Mount Popa in the Bagan area is not so easy since most surfaces are rotten and broken. On top of it the passage is interrupted continuously because the lanes are narrow and two vehicles can hardly pass each other unless one moves of the surface, read more.

Not much for native shopping around, the only productive activities beside of tourism with holiday travel is the "cottage industry" producing lacquer-ware, this are decorative items and furniture. There are two distinct differences one is the styled items you see here which are quite expensive and the traditional styled creations which are technically the same but look totally different. If you like this modern designs buy them here, they will ship it to anywhere, since it is not available in Yangon, read more.

Travel Myanmar (Burma) around Bagan.

The area in the center of the country also called "dry zone" is ideal for travel in Burma because there is almost everything withing moderate distance the country is famous for. Pagodas and temples, Buddhist shrines, monasteries, the Irrawaddy ( Ayeyarwady ) and old culture dated back more than 2000 years ago.

Most people making holiday in Bagan also do a day trip to Mount Popa and that's for sure a good idea. Have a look in a splendid, exotic and tropical spot in South East Asia and get an idea of a other culture, here the Buddhist but in a very conservative direction.